Do you think an airline that is known for saving on overhead (such as Southwest) will have as much security as other airlines? Who determines whether a flight has a Marshall on board? The FAA or the airline?
Thanks.

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I have some friends who traveled on Southwest on Friday night, from Tulsa to San Diego. One of the group forgot to take a pocket knife out of his back pocket. It was not discovered during the security check and he didn't discover it himself until he arrived in San Diego. What security.....

As I understand it, the security isn't left up to the individual airline but the AIRPORT. All tiket holder go through the exact same metal detector no matter what airline they are flying. Therefore, if the carry on was not searhed at seurity or they failed to pick up a poket knife as you went through the detector, that is not Southwest's responsibility, that was the airport whre you were located. I notied you were flying out of Tulsa airport whih not a major airport like Atlanta, O'Hare, JFK, Logan in Boston, or LAX. It is sad but true that these smaller minor airports don't have the same security measures. I think Southwest's only problem now is that it was known for quick hek in and most flights are of the shorter variety of about an hour. Many people now find it a hassle to check in 2 hrs before a 1 hour flight and are therefore choosing to drive to closer destinations.

Still wondering about who decides whether a Marshall is on board...
I guess I'm worried about whatever airline we choose, but if one seems to offer better security (beyond the security area), I'll opt for the difference in money.